According to the UN-backed Election Complaints Commission (ECC), roughly ten percent of the polling stations in Afghanistan will require recounts because of evidence of widespread fraud. Previous comments suggested that much of the recount will occur in the southwest, the region seen most favorable to President Karzai.

The recounts will cover stations where one candidate received more than 95% of the votes (Karzai reportedly got 100% of the vote in several locations) and stations where the count was dramatically higher than the expected turnout.

The final count shows Karzai with a dramatic lead over challenger Abdullah Abdullah, but if the recounts manage to disqualify around 500,000 Karzai votes, which Western officials have previously said is entirely possible, it would likely force a run-off.

And despite previous resistance to the recounts, the Independent Election Commision (IEC), which was appointed entirely by Karzai, says it will comply with the call for recounts. They would not, however, hazard a guess of how long the recounts would take.

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